Stopper attachment for cans.



' W. s. VAN SANT.

STOPPER ATTACHMENT FOR CANS.

- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 19Q9. 945,643, Patented Jan.4, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT orator FORNIA.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM S. VAN

SANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stopper Attachments for Cans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device forming a temporary closure and seal for canned and packaged goods like condensed milk, syrups, salt, and the like.

It is a common source of-annoyance and loss after a can of condensedmilk or the like has been opened, for dirt and ants to collect around the little vent-holes usually made for pouring out the contents of the can; and frequently the accumulations around the vent will dry, and so close the orifice that each time it'is desired to pour from the can the orifice has to be cleaned out.

I have devised a simple, practical little device which can be applied to any can or package for which it is suited, which will forin an automatic seal for the pourin vent,

and which will also form a handle or ngerhold by which the can can be easily held while pouring from it.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawin s, in whichigure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a section of same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stopper.

A represents a can or any other suitable container to whichthe invention is-applicable.

The invention comprehends a lever mem-. her 2 of suitable size, shape and material,

' havin one or more fulcrum pins 3 between its end s adapted to be driven into the top of the can near the rim, and the other en of the lever carrying a conical or wedge-shaped stopper projection 4 which, after being made to pierce the top of the call, will, as occasion demands. form a seal for the orifice so made. Preferably the opposite end of the lever be- Speeiflcation of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 28, 1909.

WILLIAM S. VAN SANT, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH T0 LOUIS H. SPOTT AND ONE-FOURTH T0 E. M. DE LANEY, BOTH 0F OAKLAND, CALL.

Patented Jan. 4,1910.

Serial No. 474,827.

hind the fulcrum projections 3 is so fashioned that it will form a finger-hold or rest 5 for turning the lever about its fulcrum.

The lever 2 is here shown as a plate stamped from stiff sheet-metal, with the lateral wings 6, on the under side of which the fulcrum projections 3 are formed or secured.

The finger-hold or rest 5 is formed by curving the end of the plate behind the projections 3 upwardly and then downwardly in substantially the form of an inverted U,

with the rear end of this curved projection overhanging the can and adapted to engage the side of the can when the device is opened for use; this engagement of the projection 6 operating as a stop to form a handle and substantial grip for the forefinger in pouring from the can. The fulcrum projections 3 incline backwardly from a plane perpendicular to the body of the lever plate 2, and

toward the rear end of the handle part 6,

and for a particular reason, as will be shortly seen.

In operation, one of these devices, suitable to the can towhich it is to be applied, is placed on top ofthe can with the two fulcrum projections 3 bearing on the top of the can and close to the rim; the front prong 4 being lifted up so that the rear prongs 3 may be driven straight into the can. The front end of the lever is then allowed to drop down, and the point on the top of the can where the front prong 4- strikes, is the place -where the pouring orifice is to be made; and

this orifice is made by simply striking a blow with any instrument on" the top of the plate, causing the prong 4 to pierce the can. Since all the projections 34 are wedge or cone:

shaped, they serve to tightly close the respective holes which they make. "Where it is desired to pour from the can, the operator grasps the sides of the can between his thumb and his second, third and fourth fingers, places his first finger on the plate 2,and by asimple pressure on the humped-up portion 6 of the plate, rocks the latter, thereby removing the stopper prong 4 from its hole in the can. The moment the can is stood upright again, and the pressure by the fore-finger is g is released on the device, the front end of the plate drops and the front prong plugs up the pouring orifice; it being understood that the front end of the fulcrum plate is heavier than the rear end, so that the closing action ractically automatic.

y having the rear fulcrum prongs inclined outwardly and rearwardly from the front stopper prong, it prevents the device not only from jumpm out of the can or slipping when in use, but it allows the whole can to be hung up by the curved handle extension 5, as where it is desired to keep the can and its contents away from ants and the like, the device being particularly useful for cam ers.

T e device can be applied to a great variety of cans and packages and containing various goods, and its utility will be manifest.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A temporary closure for cans and the like comprising a lever member having an underneath Wedge projection near one end and another underneath wedge projection near the other end, lever member being rockable toward and from the can cover and said lever member having a part forming a fingerhold above, and rearward of, and proximate to, the first-named projection. 2. The combination with a can or the like, of a lever member having an underneath wedge-shaped projection near one end, said projection fitting an orifice in the can and orming a fulcrum for the lever member, and a wedge-shaped sto per projection near the opposite end of the ever member and on the under side thereof and fitting a correspondmg orifice in the can, said lever member having rearward of the said first-named projection a curved extension forming a finger hold and providing a stop engaging the can to limit the movement of the lever member when the latter is turned on said first-named projection as a fulcrum.

3. The combination with a can or the like, of a lever member having an underneath wedge-shaped projection near one end, said projection fitting an orifice in the can and forming a fulcrum for the lever member, and' a wedge-shaped stopper projection near the opposite end of the lever member and on the under side thereof and fitting a corresponding orifice in the can, said lever member having rearward of the said first-named projection a curved extension forming a finger-hold and providing a stop engaging the can to limit the movement of the lever member when the latter is turned on said first-named projection as a fulcrum, said fulcrum projection bein inclined downwardly and outwardly fi'om said stopper projection.

the form of an inverted projections,

driven into the top 'of the plate behind I the top of the can,

which extend near one end tapered fulcrum.

projections, and from the un er side of the other end extends a tapered sto per projection, and the rear end of the pliite near the fulcrum projections curved in substantially U said late being rockable in a plane substantiall with the longitudinal axis of the can.

5. A temporary closure consisting of a plate of sheet-metal, from the under side of which extend near one end tapered fulcrum and from the under side of the other end extends a tapered stopper projection, and the rear end of the plate near the fulcrum projections curved in substantially the form of an inverted U, said fulcrum projections being inclined downwardly and away from the stopper projection, and said plate being movable toward and from the can in a plane substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis thereof.

6. The combination with a canor the like, of a tem orary closure consisting of a late having formed on its under side an tween its ends one or more tapered fulcrum projections adapted to bedriven into the top of a can, and the other end of ing formed also on its under side a tapered stopper projection adapted to be driven into the to of the can, and the end of the plate behin the fulcrum projections having a. hook-shaped extension forming a handle, and said plate being movable toward and from the can in a plane substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis thereof.

7. The combination with a can of a temporary closure consisting of a late having d ormed on its under side an between its ends one or more tapered fulcrum projections adapted to be driven into the top of a can, and the other end of the plate having formed also on (its under side a tapered stopper projection adapted to be of the can, and the end the fulcrum projections having a hook-shaped extension forming a handle, said hook-sha ed extension engageable with the side ofthe can to limit the movement of the plate against the fulcrum when the stopper is lifted to allow the can to be poured from.

8. The combination with a can or the like, of a temporary closure consisting of a late having formed on its under side an between its ends one or more tapered fulcrum projections adapted to be driven into the top of a can, and the other. end of the plate having formed also on its under side a tapered stopper projection adapted to be driven into and the end of the plate behind the fulcrum projections having a hook-shaped extension forming a handle,

y parallel the plate hav-' or the like,

said hook-shaped extension engageable with In testimony whereof I have hereunto setthe-side of the can to limit the movement of my hand in presence of two subscribing witthe plate against the fulcrum when the stopnesses.- er is lifted to allow the can to be poured 5 rom, said fulcrum projections being in- Witnesses:

clined downwardly and away from the stop- CHARLES A. PENFIELD, per projection. J Essm' O. Bnonm.

WILLIAM s. VAN SANT. 

